Additionally, CBT focuses on the connection between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. By addressing these areas, you gain greater health and balance. This also applies to addiction. Young people suffering from addiction tend to have low self-esteem. Overall, this fuels their substance abuse.

How Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Helps

Negative views of yourself and the world around you give you a negative perception of life in general. Those who abuse substances tend to see things as very black-and-white. They also overgeneralize in defeat, dwell only on negatives, and disqualify the positives. Often, people engaging in drug use or heavy drinking jump to conclusions as well.

When you think positively, your feelings improve. In turn, your behaviors also improve. This is why focusing on your thoughts is an important aspect of CBT.

Additionally, CBT reduces mental illness symptoms that lead to addictive behavior. Thus, this therapeutic method also helps people avoid relapse.

Co-Occurring Conditions of Dual Diagnosis

In the late 1980s, CBT helped people undergoing depression treatment. Now, these therapeutic methods help treat co-occurring conditions, including both the addiction and underlying mental illness. Overall, the mental illnesses co-occurring with addiction include depression, anxiety, PTSD, trauma, bipolar disorder, OCD, or other diagnoses.

Many people fall into addiction to self-medicate mental illness. Early drug use helps them escape emotional pain. The more severe their addiction gets, the less they’re able to feel natural joy and fulfillment.

What to Expect from CBT

Your CBT sessions help you learn healthy coping skills for the future. You learn how to reduce stress, improve your behaviors, and increase your well-being.

Your CBT sessions include one-on-one time with an addiction therapist and rehab program. Overall, your therapist will teach you about substance abuse, support your addiction recovery, and help you reach your goals. CBT sessions last under an hour and focus on the negative aspects of the week prior. The therapist challenges your negative thoughts and beliefs and helps you learn positive coping mechanisms.

Finding CBT Rehab for Your Son or Daughter’s Addiction

If your teen or young adult needs addiction treatment, Zelus Recovery in Meridian, Idaho is here to help. Zelus Recovery treats young adults and teens from Boise, Nampa, Eagle, Meridian, and other areas. Our outpatient programs emphasize strong family involvement. For example, you’ll join your son or daughter in group therapies to help them work toward a better life.